Two's Better than One?
by Kagami Kyoji
Summary: Ouran High's getting a new sensei, and the Host Club gets a new host too? Although that's not case, there's lot of fun to enjoy...Crossover with HanaKimi, set a few years after HanaKimi's ending to suit Ouran storyline. Chapter 7 up!
1. Chapter 1

Suoh Yuzuru looked at the applicant sitting before him. As superintendent of the school, he's in charge of interviewing potential teachers who would teach in Ouran. He then looked down at the applicant's resume; it didn't impress him.

Sitting on the other end of the table, Sano (nee Ashiya) Mizuki shifted nervously in her seat. This was her first interview after graduating from teacher's college. Izumi had not been very supportive about her decision to be a career woman so quickly; he wanted to start a family quickly, well before they turn 30, or at least enjoy their status as newly-weds. Mizuki sighed at her husband's condition: Should she fail to get this job, she could only try again a year later.

"Sano-san, you're a newly-wed, aren't you?" It was written clearly on her resume.

"...Hai, Suoh-sama." If Mizuki thought that Osaka High was weird, Ouran was wealthy, with a capital W. Come to think about it, she, in her typically careless manner, simply picked the school randomly, without doing some checks on her own. She had difficulty keeping her mouth closed at the extravagant compound of the school; she thought that the place was more like a palace... 

Yuzuru frowned. Candidates who spaced out during interviews irritated him. Looking more closely at the resume, he then zeroed in on a minor detail. He looked at the young lady before him.

"Sano-san, it says here that you studied at Osaka High for a while." Mizuki stiffened. "Please, don't remember that it's an all-boys school," prayed the lady.

"From what I remembered, it's an all-boys school." The Suoh empire had business dealings with many companies controlled by Osaka High's board of directors. Mizuki groaned silently. Observing her, Yuzuru chuckled slightly. Somehow, despite her long hair and dress, he could imagine this young lady before him in a suit and short hair, not least because right here in Ouran, there's a student with the same "problem"... 

Things clicked quickly. There was now a smile on the superintendent's face.

"Sano-san, you've got the job."

"Really?" Mizuki resisted the urge to hug her new boss.

"But on one condition: you must masquerade as a gentleman."

"What?" Mizuki was sure that she hadn't heard Yuzuru correctly. Wouldn't people normally advise against crossdressing?

"Here in Ouran, we have one student who's like you, in more ways than one. So, I hope that with your little "performance", the school population would be able to accept her as a female student, when the time comes for it."

Mizuki hesistated. Then...

"I'll do it, Yuzuru-sama."

"Good. You start work in three days' time. Surely, you'll need some time to re-adjust and prepare your spouse for the shocks?"

"My husband was my roommate at Osaka High." Yuzuru was right; she did have something in common with Fujioka Haruhi...

Later, back at the Sano apartment...

Sano Izumi was returning home from work. Being a police officer sure was tough, but he knew that he could always rely on support from someone. His high school days were coming back to him now; how he regained his confidence with the help of his room mate...

"I'm back."

"Welcome home," said Mizuki as she stepped up to Izumi. Then...

"Ashiya Mizuki, what have you done to yourself?!?!" Mizuki winced. Izumi always used her maiden surname whenever he wanted to make a point. The lady dragged her husband to the couch. After they've sat down, Mizuki took in a deep breath.

"Anata, here's the deal..." After explaning the situation to her husband, the ex-high-jumper sighed.

"I don't know who is crazier: you, who accepted the deal, your boss, who had the gall to suggest it in the first place, or that girl."

"Anata, you promised," said Mizuki with a slight pout.

"Well, I certainly didn't know that you cutting your hair short and wearing a suit was part of the plan. But..." Looking at her wife, Izumi had to admit: Her look brings back memories.

"It's only for work. On weekends, I'll go back to being your sweet and loving wife."

"Well, just because you're crossdressing doesn't mean that I'm no longer your husband, Sano Mizuki." Izumi gave the lady a light peck on the lips.

"Just be careful, alright?" Mizuki nodded. Her adventure was about to begin...

Three days later...

"Hey, look at that guy!"

"Who's he?"

"I think he's our new sensei."

"He looks..."

Mizuki stifled a grin as she walked through the school compound of Ouran High. As a stroke of luck, she had only one lesson on her first day, taking Class 1-A for English. Being half-American, people promptly assumed that her skills would be better than usual. To make sure that she didn't get lost, the school staff had emailed her a copy of the school map and some pointers on what to expect from the students. Well, those pointers sure didn't include gasps and stares. It was deja vu, to say the least.

"1-A...1-A," she mumbled to herself as she consulted the map. For all its grandeur, the place was also a maze. She hoped that she wouldn't be late...

Over at class 1-A, the students were waiting for their new sensei to come in. The hosts were discussing among themselves...

"I wonder how he looks like," mumbled Hitachiin Hikaru.

"Hikaru, what makes you think that it's going to be a 'he'," replied Kaoru.

"Well, don't tell me we're going to get someone like Haruhi," joked the older twin.

"Leave me out of this," growled Fujioka Haruhi. Of everyone in Ouran, only the Host Club boys (and the chairman/superintendent) know her true identity. The twins, being incorrigible pranksters, had their fun at her expense, most of the time. Also, the day was ending, and she's a little cranky from work. Then, as the new sensei stepped into the classroom, the chatter died down.

Mizuki wrote her name on the board and turned towards her charges, who were by now staring at her, some with their mouths wide open.

"Well, looks like you got it right, Hikaru," wisecracked Haruhi. However, for all her crossdressing, she too thought that Mizuki was a guy, albeit an extremely feminine looking one; the fact that their style were so similar was lost on her. The sensei introduced "himself".

"Konnichiwa. I'm Ashiya Mizuki, your new English Teacher. I hope that we'll have a great time together." Her eyes scanned the students. Almost immediatly, Haruhi caught her eye. There's no mistake that "he" was the student in question.

"Alright, let's begin. Turn to page 67 of the text..."

After the class, the hosts were preparing for their routine trip to the Third Music Room, when they found their sensei standing next to Haruhi's desk.

"Fujioka-kun, could I have a word with you, in private?"

"I.. guess so." The twins looked at their new teacher suspiciously.

"Ashiya-sensei, did Haruhi do something wrong just now," asked the duo in unison.

"No, of course not. It's just that I've something serious to discuss with her."

"Guys, just leave us alone. I need someone to tell Tamaki-senpai that I'll be late," said Haruhi as she pushed the twins out of the classroom and closed the doors.

"Sorry, sensei. They're like that." 

"No need to apologise, Fujioka-kun. Take a seat." Mizuki sat on a desk next to Haruhi.

"Haruhi, you're a girl, aren't you?"

"Hai.., although you're the first sensei to notice," replied the girl matter-of-factly. It went better than I thought, mused Mizuki to herself.

"Sensei, how could you tell?" Haruhi, on the other hand, was a little curious.

"Well, your sensei's a woman too, you know," chuckled Mizuki. Haruhi's eyes nearly popped out of her sockets. She grabbed the sensei's chest. Mizuki saw the funny side of the whole thing, and didn't blame her for the shock.

"How... Why..."

"The chairman wanted me to prepare the school population. He reasoned that if they had a cross-dressing teacher in the school, they might find it easier to accept a cross-dressing student, namely you."

"Sensei, I've never tried to hide my real sex. Well... It's... kind of complicated for me to explain. Suffice to say that the Host Club is involved in the charade."

"Oh, I heard something about a 'host club' just now. Are those the boys who are helping to keep your identity a secret?" Haruhi nodded.

"Well, perhaps I should pay them a little visit.

"Sensei, you had best be prepared. They're a little weird, to say the least."

"Well, they couldn't be more bizarre than my encounters in high school, right," smiled Mizuki. Her confidence made the younger girl wonder about her sensei.

"This way, then." As Haruhi led the way, she looked at the sensei. This could be the beginning of something totally unexpected, she thought...

Afterthoughts

-Please RnR!

-Sorry, if anyone finds this "rubbish". Just had to do a crossover after reading Hana Kimi. Mizuki as Haruhi's sensei. More laughs are to come. 


	2. Chapter 2

At the Third Music Room...

"Hikaru, Kaoru! Why isn't Haruhi with you guys," asked Suoh Tamaki.

"Tono, our new English sensei wanted to speak to her, in private."

The Host Club King then began pacing around the room, mumbling,"What has my precious daughter done this time?" over and over again. Kyouya pushed up his spectacles; he has his bombshell waiting for the host club.

"Takashi, do you think Haru-chan's in trouble?" Haninozuka Mitsukuni looked up at his cousin.

"...Don't think so," came the stoic reply.

When the door to the room opened, Tamaki rushed forward to give Haruhi a bearhug; he quickly stopped in his tracks when he saw that the girl wasn't alone. This guy beside her... He looked to be in his mid-20s, about 170cm in height, slim build... Yet somehow, Tamaki thought that all's not what it seemed.

"Sano-sensei, welcome to the Ouran Kouku Host Club," bowed Kyouya as he greeted the teacher.

"Kyouya-senpai, you got his name wrong." chanted the twins in unison. Mizuki, on the other hand, gave Haruhi an odd look.

"That's Otori Kyouya, the Vice-Chairman of the club." Haruhi then beckoned her sensei to lower herself.

"He's also our Shadow King. Don't expect to hide anything from him," she whispered. Mizuki observed the still-smiling teen, and the rest of the boys. Rich kids sure run a full spectrum, thought the teacher. Meanwhile, Hani whispered something to Mori, who nodded in reply.

"Thank you, Kyouya-kun, for welcoming me."

"Eh? But sensei, isn't your name..." protested the twins.

"My name is Ashiya Mizuki. But, as Kyouya-kun has pointed out, it should be Sano Mizuki. I'm married." Silence, then...

"NANI?!?!?" (Tamaki and the twins)

"Takashi, I was right!" Cue another nod from Mori. Looking at the three stoning teenagers, the sensei explained herself.

"Like Haru-chan, I was into cross-dressing during my high school days, a story which I may tell at a later time. The chairman wished for Haruhi to be known to the rest of the school as a female student. I was here to prepare the lot." Tamaki's reaction upon hearing "the chairman" didn't escape Mizuki's eyes. She looked to Haruhi again.

"That's Suoh Tamaki, our club chairman."

"Suoh Tamaki... Aren't you the superintendent's son then?" Tamaki nodded. He then stared at his best friend and classmate.

"Kyouya..."

"It's my duty to check up on any new staff that's teaching the hosts, Tamaki. You never know when the information will come in handy." Meanwhile, Hani bounced up to Mizuki, and introduced himself.

"I'm Haninozuka Mitsukuni. Nice to meet you, Mizuki-sensei."

"Nice to meet you too, Hani-kun. Oh, and that's a nice plushie you've got there."

"Thank you!" 

"Sensei, for the record, he's one of the oldest boys around here," deadpanned Haruhi. Mizuki chuckled again.

"Hani-kun, do you mind being so short?"

"Not at all! It's convenient whenever Takashi wants to carry me around!"

"That's pretty straightforward, Mizuki-sensei," said Haruhi.

"Well, I guess being half-American gives me an excuse," wisecracked the older lady. Mori stepped up to the sensei.

"Morinozuka Takashi." The teen then thrust his hand forward. Mizuki shook it with a smile.

"You should speak more, Mori-kun. Your voice isn't that bad."

"Sano-sensei, that's Mori-senpai's selling point. Here at the Host Club, our guests have their individual tastes." Tamaki then remembered something.

"We've better get cracking. It's already so late!"

"Well, as compensation for my disturbance, could I be a special host for today?" This time, even Kyouya was surprised. 

"Sensei, are you..." began Haruhi.

"It would be fun, right?"

"Foreigners are weird," concluded the twins, as they stared at their tono and sensei.

The Host Club's open for business...

"Ah, Ashiya-sensei, you're a special host today," asked a guest.

"That's right..."

"This is scary," commented Tamaki. Kyouya decided that Mizuki should pair up with Haruhi for the "special" session. The results... Well, let's just say that even the Host Club King had lost much of his regulars for the day.

"Sensei, was that really true," asked Renge in horror. The other girls couldn't believe their ears either.

"Believe it: the teacher in charge of the infirmary was gay," repeated the sensei in a serious tone. There was a collective gasp from the crowd.

"Is he still there?"

"I don't know. It's been so long since I left." Mizuki remembered her many adventures at Osaka, and the "interesting" people: Nakatsu, Nakao, the senpais, and everyone else. She would never run out of stories to tell the young ones gathered around her. When eventually, Kyouya announced that the club was closed for the day, many didn't even want to leave...

"That's the last of them," sighed Kaoru as he closed the door. With the hosts exhausting themselves to persuade the guests to leave, all of them felt it necessary to laze around for a while.

"So, Sano-sensei, care to be the teacher-in-charge of the host club," asked Kyouya. Of course, he was banking on Mizuki's popularity to roll in the big bucks.

"No thanks. Today's probably the last time I show up here. I'm a teacher, remember? Got to start preparing my material for the students." Hikaru groaned. Of the three 1-A hosts, he was the one who suffered the most during Mizuki's first lesson.

"A pity then. Haruhi, you may start with the clean-up now."

"Why Haru-chan? Isn't everyone supposed to have a share in the duties?"

"Sensei, I guess you didn't know this yet. Haruhi's a commoner," pointed out the vice-chairman matter-of-factly. The lady stared at Haruhi.

"In fact, she's the only "shoumin" student we have in Ouran," chanted the twins. Mizuki stood up and took the tray from Haruhi's hands.

"Sensei..." Mizuki simply put a finger to her lips. Silently, Haruhi continued with her task.

Tamaki was now staring hard at the duo. With this new teacher around, he felt his position as Haruhi's "father" under serious threat, not to mention that his father wanted Haruhi to reveal her identity soon. He was finding it hard to think straight...

On their walk to the subway, Mizuki observed her young charge. Haruhi's really a strong girl, being able to hold herself in front of the other rich students. Although they never bullied her, a more self-conscious girl might have...

"Sensei, is anything wrong?"

"Nothing...It's just that.. I think we have something in common." Haruhi kept mum at the comment.

To Haruhi, Mizuki-sensei was someone more than a sensei, a friend in fact. Although they've know each other for less than a day, somehow, Haruhi felt safe with her, even more than with the host club boys. Perhaps, it's the fact that she's a woman, an onesan she never had. Up to now, her mom had been her role model. Today, she added another woman to the list...

"You're back," greeted Izumi when the door opened. He then noticed a glow on his wife's face which he had not seen for a long time.

"Seems like you enjoyed yourself today." Grinning, Mizuki filled her spouse in on the details.

"I can't believe you actually told the students about Umeda-sensei," chuckled the youth. That brought back some memories of Osaka High.

"And that cross-dressing girl... She's strong. She's a lone commoner in a school full of extremely rich classmates," mused the concerned teacher.

"Just like you, Mizuki." The lady looked at her husband.

"Anyway, you can brush up on your parenting skills with her," joked Izumi.

"Anata, I'm only 26! I'm certainly not going to treat her like a daughter," protested Mizuki.

"Still, take care of her, ok? That's your job as a teacher." Mizuki nodded. Just as how Umeda-sensei had helped her so long ago, she'll be there to help Haruhi, should the need arises.

Afterthoughts

-Please RnR! And help spread the word. Hana-Kimi is underrepresented here at fanfiction. net! 


	3. Football vs Soccer

It was her second day at Ouran, and already, the name "Ashiya Mizuki" had been spreading like wildfire throughout the campus. Stories and rumours went along with it, such as "The new teacher's gay." (not true, obviously), and how he woke up sleeping students by throwing the duster, which landed on the spot next to their heads. (true; just ask Hikaru, although Mizuki joked that repeat offenders will have the duster on their heads) On her part, Mizuki didn't really care much about the rumour mill. After all, she's here on a job. Also, there were very few young teachers at Ouran; she was the only one below 40, for that matter. She figured that elite private institutions intimidated young teachers...

Mizuki looked at the pile of assignments before her. She had been marking them for two hours straight. I need a break, she thought. Suddenly, she got up and left the staff room. There was one particular place in Ouran which she wanted to see...

Looking at the running track and and the nearby field, Mizuki daydreamed again. Track and field was an integral part of her school life at Osaka, not to mention that her physical education grades were always excellent. However, Ouran doesn't seem to have an active sport scene. Looks like rich people were very selective when it comes to sporting activities...

"No! No! That's not the way you dribble the ball! You guys are worse than I thought!!"

Mizuki turned her head towards the direction of the voice. That sounded like... She saw a tall youth in the middle of the soccer field. He seemed to be scolding the students. She walked forward for a closer view. The young man's bleached hair and accent were unmistakable, even if he had his back to her...

"Shuichi? What's he doing here," thought the lady.

"Nakatsu-sensei, can we have a time out? All this stuff is new to us," said a player.

"Yeah. You can't expect us to play like you after just a few hours of teaching, you know," concurred another player.

Nakatsu wanted to explode. These guys lack stamina, thought the young coach. Then again, they're right. He was expecting too much from them in such a short time. Anyway, losing his temper wouldn't help matters. He's 26 now, and old enough to control his emotions...

"Alright. Five minutes later, gather back here!" With that, the team dispersed. As Shuichi turned around, he noticed a young man walking towards him. This guy resembled a young woman, thought the coach.

"Yes, can I help you?" Mizuki chuckled. Shuichi had become even more mature, since they last met at her wedding.(He was the best man).

"Shuichi, don't you recognise me?" The young man's mouth nearly dropped to the ground.

"Mizuki? Why are you wearing men's clothing... AGAIN?" The important parts of Shuichi's outburst were partially cut off by Mizuki's hand clamping his mouth.

"Not so loud! I have a reason for doing this. I'll tell you later."

"A-re? Ashiya-sensei, what are you doing here?" Some of the boys had returned from their break.

"Ashiya-sensei?" The lady gave Shuichi a stare. It was her way of saying "Don't ask.".

"I was just taking a stroll around the school. You boys are fortunate to get Nakatsu-sensei as your coach. He's one of the best high school soccer players during our time."

"Is Nakatsu-sensei really that famous?" Additional murmurs could be heard from the students present.

"Well, I was his classmate," pointed out Mizuki. Shuichi nodded his agreement.

"Wow. That's a coincidence. So Ashiya-sensei, tell us how he was like during high school," asked a student pointing at Shuichi. By now, everyone in the team had returned.

"What do you guys want to hear? I have many stories concerning him." Shuichi resisted the urge to dig a hole in the field and bury his head in it.

"The scandalous ones of course!" A loud groan was heard.

"I've one incident which I want to share with all of you. Nakatsu-sensei was once accused of cheating during an exam. To fight for his innocence, the student leaders had a showdown with the teacher who accused him." There was silence from everyone. Shuichi shuddered; if it wasn't for the three dorm heads and Izumi, he would have had it back then.

"Your sensei's a good man. Even if he seems a little harsh at times, he really has a heart of gold." The silence continued. Then...

"Alright. That's one story for you guys today. Back to practice!" This time, there were no protests. As the players got ready, Shuichi pulled the lady aside.

"Thanks. I really needed that one."

"Be easy on them, Nakatsu. This school's not well-known for its sporting achievements." Mizuki was interrupted by a haughty laugh.

"Well, well, if it isn't the new soccer coach," said a sarcastic voice. Everyone turned their attention to the trio who were now walking towards Shuichi. Again, there was murmuring among the soccer players.

"Who are you," asked Shuichi suspiciously. The three looked like trouble to him.

"I'm Kuze Takeshi, captain of the American Football Club." Mizuki thought that the boy looked stupid by holding an orange in his hand. Wisely, she kept her comments to herself.

"I believe American football has nothing to do with soccer. Please leave us; we still have to practise," said Shuichi. Takeshi thrust his face in front of the coach.

"Listen! There's only room for one football club in Ouran, and it definitely isn't soccer." Mizuki saw her friend clenching his fist. 

"Shuichi, calm down." It was then that Takeshi noticed the lady.

"You must be the new sensei in school. My advice to you: Stay out of this!" Turning around, he signaled his deputies to leave. Shuichi wanted to crack some skulls, but he decided against it in the end. The soccer team was more important. However, some members weren't so sure.

"If Kuze declares war on us, we're in for a rough time."

"Will our team be forced to disband," asked another worried player.

"Come on, show some courage! What's so great about the American Football Club anyway," questioned the vexed coach. Morale problems were the toughest to resolve, in his experience.

"Sensei, you have to understand. The American Football Club is one of the very few sports clubs, if not the only one, in Ouran which's any good. They have a reputation in the school, which is something we definitely do not possess." Shuichi fell silent. This is worse than he thought...

"Shuichi, get your boys to continue their practise. I have to return to the staff room now. By the way, here's my number. Call me when you're done here." With that, Ashiya Mizuki hurried back to her work. But, she already has a plan in mind...

The mobile phone in Mizuki's pocket vibrated. It must be Shuichi, she thought.

"Yo. I'm done." The teacher looked at her watch. The Host Club should be closing anytime now...

"Stay where you are. I've something which might help you."

A short while later...

"The Third Music Room? Mizuki, what are you up to this time?" The youth have no idea how music could possibly be useful to his situation.

"Just keep quiet." She then opened the door.

'I'm sorry. We're closed..." Kaoru stopped his sentence midway as he saw his sensei dragging a man into the room. The rest of the hosts too stopped what they were doing. Scanning the room, Nakatsu thought that the boys around here looked pretty...

"Kyouya-kun, I need your help."

"Please, take a seat," said Kyouya pleasantly. As always, he knew who the stranger was before the other hosts.

"Shuichi, tell them your problem."

"Mizuki, how are they going to help?"

"Nakatsu Shuichi-san, don't underestimate the Ouran Host Club," warned Kyouya in a chillingly friendly manner.

"Wait a minute! This is only my first day here! How did you..."

"I know many things, Nakatsu-san. In fact, the host club knows that Sano-sensei's a woman." This teen reminded Shuichi of a certain dorm head who had the same ruthlessness if he saw it necessary.

"Before I ask for help, it's only proper to introduce ourselves first. I'm Nakatsu Shuichi."

"Nakatsu-san, I'm Haninozuka Mitsukuni! Nice to meet you!" Is he really a student here, thought Shuichi. That PINK bunny plushie seriously looked ridiculous and out of place.

"Shuichi, Hani-kun's one of the oldest boys here." Hani nodded earnestly in agreement. Haruhi thought that the man was going to faint.

"Nakatsu-san, the Host Club could be a little weird for your tastes. So, don't read too much into it."

"...Are you a girl," asked Nakatsu. This guy seemed too cute to be a boy, and after his own experience, he was certain that his instincts would not be wrong. Mizuki couldn't resist a smile.

"She's the reason why I'm here. Shuichi, meet Fujioka Haruhi."

"'She'? But why..."

"It's kinda complicated. All you need to know is that she has her own reasons for crossdressing, and everyone here is keeping it a secret."

"That includes you as well, Nakatsu-san," added Kyouya.

"I'm not a blabbermouth." The youth felt insulted that he was thought to be unable to keep secrets. Then again... Anyway, Mori introduced himself in his typical stoic fashion. This guy's pretty cool, with his silence and physique, thought Shuichi.

"Nakatsu-sensei, I'm Suoh Tamaki, chairman of the Host Club."

"You sure are a pretty boy, even within this bunch." Although Mizuki knew that Nakatsu meant it as a praise, somehow it came out sounding rather rude.

"You're not too shabby yourself, sensei," came the reply.

"Nakatsu, last but not least, the Hitachiin twins. Ask Haru-chan to distinguish them for you. I sure can't do it yet," said Mizuki.

"Hajime mashiite, Nakatsu-san!" The synchronized voices gave the young man a little shock. So, there are other weird schools around besides Osaka...

"Now, about that problem of yours, Nakatsu-san..." Kyouya reminded everyone what the introductions were for. Shuichi related what had happened earlier in the afternoon. After he was done, Kyouya had a crafty smile on his face.

"That sounded like something Kuze Takeshi would do." The rest of the hosts nodded. They wouldn't forget the club's own run-in with Takeshi's gang in a hurry.

"Can you guys do something about it, Kyouya-kun?"

"Unfortunately, there's little we can do to help Nakatsu-sensei. He'll have to help himself, by making the soccer club a success." Kyouya knew that the odds were against them.

"We can organise the girls to go support the soccer team during their training, provided their performance is on par," added Tamaki.

"Nakatsu-san, you should also note that Kuze's fiancee is in the student council."

"Thanks for the advice. The championship's coming pretty soon, and the team still has a very long way to go. My hands were already full without those guys butting in."

"Nakatsu-san, if Kuze's guys ever disturb your team again, let us know. They owe us one for pushing Haruhi into the swimming pool." Hikaru cracked his knuckles to emphasize his point.

"Hitachiin Hikaru, no student of mine is going to be caught in a fistfight over such matters. If you have so much energy, perhaps you should try putting a little more effort in your English."

"Relax, Mizuki-sensei. It's only a joke."

"Thanks again for the help." Shuichi bowed to the boys, who were more than a little surprised. Knowing her friend's character, Mizuki merely smiled.

"I should be going now. Mizuki, is Sano free tonight? I have lots of catching up to do with you two."

"Let me check." The lady whipped out her phone and dialled a number.

"Mizuki, is anything the matter?"

"Anata, I met Nakatsu over here in Ouran. He asks if you're free tonight."

"What's he doing there? Anyway, if you insist, I'll be a little late. Got a juvenile delinquent case here." Mizuki understood the situation right away. Her husband always had a soft spot with teenage offenders; his own brother very nearly became one himself. Luckily, Shin turned over a new leaf...

"I'll tell him that." The line went dead.

"He'll be a little late."

"Doesn't matter. I'll have to wash up, in any case. Call me when he's ready." With that, Shuichi left the room. Mizuki suddenly realised that the twins were giving her an odd look."

"Isn't our sensei mushy, Hikaru," teased Kaoru.

"Yes, calling him 'dear' in front of her students."

"Well, next time you guys fall in love, don't come asking me for help." Unexpectedly, the teasing stopped immediatly. "Don't tell me..." Mizuki looked at the twins, then at Haruhi, who was again doing the clean-up. Looks like the situation was more complex than it seemed, she thought...

Afterthoughts

-Please RnR! 


	4. A Friend Visits

Mizuki sat at the front of Class 1-A, observing the students as they went about writing their essays. Feeling bored, her mind wandered far away from the classroom. Yesterday's little reunion was perfect (well, almost). Izumi managed to settle his case, and the trio went to a fast food booth for dinner, for the restaurants were all full, with queues to boot. Also, it was one of those rare times where Izumi actually felt very hungry. Even Shuichi, with his enormous appetite, found it difficult to comprehend the fact that his friend was actually eating as much as he was.

'Sano, are you alright?' the blond youth had asked.

'Me? Of course I'm alright. I skipped lunch due to work,' replied Izumi in between mouthfuls.

'That's not good for you,' said a worried Mizuki. Sano looked at his wife straight in the eye.

'This's the last time, I promise.' And that was that.

Mizuki never really thought of Nakatsu as a potential boyfriend, even during their school days. He was a very good friend... and nothing more. Without Sano, perhaps she might have chosen him. But, then again, without Sano, she most probably would not have met him in the first place. Izumi was on her mind most of the time back in those days. She felt sorry for Nakatsu, not least because he revealed that he's still single (with a quick reassurance to Sano that he will not go after Mizuki again). Other than that, there was little she could do to help...

"Sensei's spacing out again," whispered Hikaru. Ever the trickster, the older twin had a knack for spotting such details.

"Hikaru, stop gossiping. Your essay's not even finished," replied Haruhi. She had just finished her own, while Kaoru was already fidgeting, impatient for the lesson to end. Mizuki looked at her watch.

"Alright, you may hand in your work now."

"Sensei, I haven't finished yet," exclaimed Hikaru.

"Well, you'll going to stay back and complete it. I'll be staying here as well." There was some laughter from the rest of the class; all of them had finished their work. Mizuki dismissed the class without a formal greeting. It was a refreshing change from the routine.

"See you later," said Kaoru as he filed out of the class together with Haruhi. Sulking, Hikaru nevertheless returned to his essay. It wasn't too long before he, too, was done. By then, the class was empty, save for him and his sensei.

"Next time, please try to finish it before the class ends." Mizuki's teasing tone made it hard for the twin to get mad at her. He then proceeded to pack up his stuff, ready to leave.

"Hikaru, could I have a word with you?"

"Eh?" This time, Mizuki sounded somewhat serious.

"Have a seat." After they've made themselves comfortable, Hikaru still had no idea what his sensei had wanted to say.

"Hikaru, what are your feelings towards Haruhi?"

"Sensei?" The boy was getting more uncomfortable by the second.

"I mean: Do you treat Haruhi as a girl?" According to what she had noticed, the twins seemed to only talk to Haruhi in the class. With their other classmates, it was strictly business.

"..." Hikaru didn't know how to answer that one.

"It's ok to feel that way. You're a teenage boy, aren't you," said Mizuki, a smile on her petite face. She returned to the teacher's seat.

"If you're ready, we can go to the Host Club." She decided that that was enough probing for now.

"We?" Hikaru snapped out of his thoughts.

"Don't worry. This time, I'll just be visiting, for a short while."

The Host Club's now open for business...

As promised (and to the disappointment of the girls), Mizuki was indeed there for a visit. She wandered from host to host, trying to understand what Kyouya meant by "individual tastes". Hani's ability to wolf down cakes and other sweets wasn't really a shock to her; she remembered a certain photographer who liked sweet stuff as well, along with someone who absolutely hated them. She was watching (not enjoying) the twins' usual display of "forbidden love" when...

"There's a bunch of interesting people here whom I'll like you to see, Kayashima-san."

"You want me to read their auras for you, Nekozawa-kun?" The chairman of the Black Magic Club nodded his agreement.

Everyone's attention was drawn to the crack in that special door used only by Nekozawa Umehito. Only this time...

"Taiki? Kayashima Taiki?"

"Oh, Mizuki, it's you," replied Taiki. Despite his cool attitude, he was surprised to see his friend here.

"What are you doing here?"

"I was invited by the school's Black Magic Club to give their members a lesson on depictions of the supernatural in traditional Japanese culture." Taiki was now a researcher doing his Ph.D at Kyoto University. His speciality? Traditional Japanese art forms, with an emphasis on the supernatural aspects. In fact, he vowed to himself that he would study every single one of Kyoto's ancient temples...

"And you, Mizuki? I thought you're working to become a dog trainer?" He remembered her saying that during a friend's wedding (Sekime), as well as her own.

"...I changed my mind. Teaching seemed so much more meaningful." Taiki knew that she was lying; from her aura, he detected a little sadness in her. Also, even if Yujirou was still around, it would have become a very old dog...

"Ashiya-sensei, perhaps you could give me some pointers. I'm a dog owner myself," said Tamaki from his seat.

"Ashiya?" The psychic nodded as he detected the change. It read "Dont ask. I'll explain later."

"Sorry to interrupt this reunion, but..." Nekozawa has yet to finish his sentence when Mizuki remembered something.

"Taiki! Did you see Nakatsu? He's a football coach here."

"Shuichi? That guy sure is a superman." Taiki knew that his former roommate was now playing in top-tier J-League matches, and here he was, coaching a team of his own. With his talent and ethics, Shuichi's coach trusted him enough to leave him alone once he had proven that he had not neglected his training. 

The twins decided to play their favourite game on this stranger. They put on their caps and walked up to Taiki.

"Kayashima-san, would you like to play the "Guess who's Hikaru" game?"

"By all means. But first, who's the older twin, and what's the younger twin's name," asked Taiki matter-of-factly.

"Hikaru's the older one. The younger twin's Kaoru," volunteered Mizuki.

"Got it. You two may begin." The twins then did their best to mix themselves up.

"Hai, which of us is Hikaru-kun?"

"The one on the left is Hikaru," said the psychic plainly.

"Wrong," chanted the twins triumphantly. Taiki did not see the need to explain himself.

"Guys, admit it. Kayashima-san got it right." As usual, Haruhi has gotten it right as well. The huge smiles disappeared from the twins' faces.

"Oh, before you guys want to try again, my advice is: Don't. I'll always get it right." Mizuki saw the need to explain further.

"Taiki's a psychic. Believe me: you guys weren't the only twins whom he could tell apart." Seeing that the crowd remained unconvinced, the youth shrugged his shoulders. He didn't want to waste any more time; he had some catching up to do with Nakatsu.

"Mizuki, perhaps you might want to tell them about that time at the haunted manor, where the ghost was looking for someone resembling you." That gave even Nekozawa the creeps.

"... I'll show you where the soccer field is!" Mizuki then led her friend out of the music room.

"Your sensei sure has weird friends," commented Tamaki. The twins nodded their agreement.

"He's the first guy ever to tell us apart on his first attempt, and in such a short time too!" Although the twins appeared unhappy about it, they were secretly impressed with the stranger. The hosts then went on with their duties...

Meanwhile...

Mizuki looked around her. There wasn't anyone around. She briefly explained her situation.

"I see. I thought there was something sinister going on when I saw that 'boy', but my other sense couldn't distinguish 'him' from the other girls. Anyway, I prefer you like this."

"Taiki, I'm already married." The young man had a little smile on his lips. The pair soon reached the field.

"Well, sensed him yet," teased Mizuki.

"His aura is blinding out the rest; it's too bright to be ignored." Taiki decided to play along.

"Nakatsu!" The coach turned towards the direction of the voice. He then got the team to practise on their own before going over.

"Taiki? What are you..."

"Just a visit. What about you? Don't push yourself too much. We don't want a star collapsing on the field."

"I know. But, I have to consider my future. I can't play top-league soccer forever, can I? Since I can't see myself working off the field, I thought I'll start gathering some experience on coaching."

"We're getting old, aren't we," mused Mizuki.

"We are old, compared to these kids," said Taiki, pointing to the students in the field.

"Yeah. Sometimes, I wish I was back in high school again."

"Nakatsu..."

"Chill, Mizuki. You're reading too much into it, honestly."

Back in the Host Club...

"Hikaru-kun, I think I saw Ashiya-sensei somewhere before, way before she came to our school," said one of the guests.

"You did? Where?"

"On a magazine cover or something like that. What I do remember is that it was a long time ago."

"Come to think about it, I do remember seeing Sensei and Nakatsu-san before." As a kid, Kaoru used to flip through fashion magazines belonging to his mother, before Hikaru dragged him away to play.

"Well, as a matter of fact, they were models, and I do have copies of their photos here," said Kyouya as he flashed some of them in front of the girls. Instantly, he was swamped.

"They look gorgeous!"

"Sensei looks like a girl in these pictures!"

"For those of you who don't know this, this gentleman here is now the soccer team's coach," explained the Shadow King, as he pointed at Shuichi. Squeals of joy could be heard from the crowd.

"On top of that, this photo shoot was the only time where they modelled, so these are very rare photos." None of the girls noticed the light gleaming off the teen's specs as they proceeded to pay top dollar for the photo albums. The other hosts, on the other hand...

"Kyouya-senpai's scary," said Kaoru to his brother, who nodded in reply.

"Takashi, Mizuki-san and Shuichi-san look great, don't they?"

"...Ah."

"Let's go to the soccer field to get their signatures," suggested Renge. The others concurred, and the horde of girls exited the third Music Room. Soon, the hosts were left alone.

"Even Renge..." Tamaki couldn't believe what had just happened.

"Well, Tamaki, looks like you're not the only one who can draw crowds around here," deadpanned Kyouya.

"Kyouya..." It was one of those moments where Tamaki really, REALLY wanted to kill someone.

"Tamaki-senpai, don't tell me you're jealous," said Haruhi in her typically blunt manner.

"Haruhi, how can you accuse Otosan for committing such a heinous crime?" The blond teen retreated to his corner.

Ignoring Tamaki, Haruhi had something to ask the vice-chairman.

"Kyouya-senpai, isn't it too much to drag Sensei and Nakatsu-san into your money-making schemes?"

"You forgot something, Haruhi. Nakatsu-sensei wanted us to help the soccer team. I think we've just created many new fans among the female students of Ouran today."

"...Ha..." Haruhi was once again amazed by the calculations of the Shadow King.

Over at the field...

Shuichi had resumed his lessons, and Mizuki was just about to lead Taiki on the way back to the music room, when...

"Uh-oh."

"What is it," asked Mizuki.

"I sense a great disturbance heading this way, more specifically, towards you."

"Me?"

By now, a huge cloud of dust had gathered a short distance away from the pair, and it was closing in fast. Kayashima wisely stepped out of the way.

"Ashiya-sensei, could I get an autograph?"

"Sensei, please sign my album!" Mizuki took a closer look at one of the many identical albums thrust in front of her.

"These are.."

Meanwhile, on the field, the soccer team found themselves interrupted by another mob of fans asking for Shuichi's signature. Once the coach realised what the occasion was, he gamely signed on every photograph and album. He felt like a superstar; only this time, it wasn't after winning a match in the league. 

Getting over her surprise, Mizuki duly signed her share of the albums. After the mob left, she groaned as Shuichi's group came running over.

"Well, I do remember that you guys didn't get any publicity back then," teased Kayashima. Mizuki wanted to throttle her friend, but the fans were already surrounding her. After the second round, she took a look at her watch, and remembered the assignments which she had to mark later.

'Oh dear, time for me to make myself scarce,' thought Taiki to himself; he detected a dark cloud surrounding his friend. To his surprise, it disappeared.

"So, not mad anymore?"

"Well, that was my moment of fame, and I didn't get to enjoy it back then."

"That's just like you, Mizuki, being able to see the good side of everything. No wonder Sano..."

"Shh!!"

"Relax. There's no one around. Send my regards to him." As the psychic went on his way to bid goodbye to Nekozawa, Mizuki had a sudden thought.

'I wonder how Izumi would react when he hears about this...'

Afterthoughts

-Please RnR! 


	5. A Storm's Coming, But First, the Beach!

Izumi nearly choked on his coffee. He was sure that he didn't hear his wife correctly. After coughing for a short while, he asked, "Mizuki, could you repeat what you've just said?"

"I said that somehow, the students of Ouran High managed to get their hands on Akiha-san's photo shoot for the four of us, and that Nakatsu and I were swarmed by requests for autographs."

"But that shoot was years ago! How..."

"Still, isn't it great? It feels kinda lucky to be able to bask in the fame of something so long ago."

"Well, I guess you're right. Of course, I gathered that the girls didn't know about your secret?"

"Not a word." Sano then got up from the couch.

"Well, care to join me in cleaning up the house?" Although the couple allocated their chores accordingly, housework's a time for them to bond, odd as it may sound.

"But first, I'm wiping off the mess your coffee made on the floor."

The next day, after lessons...

"The beach," asked Mizuki. The 1-A trio nodded in reply.

"It's just for fun and leisure, we promise." Although the twins put on their most sincere smiles, Haruhi thought that they had something to hide.

"Hmmm... who else is going, besides the four of us?"

"The rest of the Host Club will be there. Since the beach is private, we shouldn't be disturbed by anyone else," said Kaoru. Seeing the sceptical look on Haruhi's face, Hikaru grinned.

"Haruhi, Tono personally gave his word that there will be NO hosting this time. Relax!" There's a catch in this somewhere, thought the girl. Over at the Third Music Room, Tamaki was also discussing the same incident.

"I'm amazed, Tamaki. You seemed to have a complete turnaround in your stand."

"Kyouya, this time, it's different. We have two ladies on the trip. My plan to make Haruhi realise that she's a girl will definitely succeed." His mind theatre then began to play that old clip of Haruhi and him walking together on the sands...

"Takashi, Tama-chan's dreaming again," observed Hani.

"...I wonder if it'll work this time, whatever he's planning."

Meanwhile, over at the club room of the Newspaper Club...

Komatsuzawa Akira pushed up his glasses as he looked at the photos placed before him. He then looked up at his guests.

"Perhaps, you might want to explain yourself, Kuze. What use do I have for these?" The captain of the American Football Club sat himself in front of the desk.

"Komatsuzawa, I'm sure that you know about my...vendetta with Ototri Kyouya, and the new coach of the soccer club."

"I fail to see..."

"That new sensei, Ashiya Mizuki, just made himself my latest enemy, since he's friends with Nakatsu." Although he didn't say it out loud, the very fact that Kanan (his fiancee) was a new fan of Mizuki and Nakatsu after purchasing the photo album made it difficult for him to swallow his pride.

Akira looked at the photos again. This time, the club photographer, Ukyou Chikage peered over his chief's shoulder.

"Nice shots. At least, they were very clear."

"So, how about an article in next week's newspaper," suggested Takeshi. Akira thought for a while. A chance to get back at the Host Club...

"With this as a headline: New Teacher Having Affair With Student?"

"Not to mention that he might be gay. I look forward to reading that article." The guests then made their exit. Once outside, the captain gave his orders to his deputy.

"Makoto, get your guy to continue tailing them. But, remember: stop at the subway, since they head off in different directions there. Also, we don't want them to smell a rat so quickly."

"You think it'll work this time, Takeshi?"

"It will, I promise." The orange in Kuze's hand threatened to burst from the teen's iron grip. It's time for some payback, thought the captain.

The weekend came soon enough for Mizuki, who was excited about the trip. She had a love for swimming, no least because she didn't dunk herself in water during her time at Osaka High. Although she had more than made up for it, the thought of having a stretch of the coast all to herself sounded like fun.

After picking up the two commoners, Tamaki and the boys headed over to Kyouya's private beach. As promised, the eight of them were alone.

"Alright, time for us to change and hit the waves," suggested Tamaki. As the group divided themselves up, the King noticed something.

"Haruhi, why aren't you going to the Ladies with Mizuki-sensei?"

"I didn't bring my swim-suit," came the reply.

"I brought an extra set, by the way," volunteered Mizuki. But, it wasn't needed, for the twins had come prepared themselves.

"Sensei, get Haruhi to wear this." Tamaki's face reddened when he saw the costume. It was that two-piece swimsuit with frills on the chest to...

"You two little..." Tamaki was all ready to hit them to the moon.

"This will look good on you, Haruhi. Come!" The teen found herselves being dragged to the toilet.

"Mizuki-sensei's enjoying it more than we do," said Hikaru. The brothers then stared at their tono.

"Foreigners," they sighed.

At the Ladies, the pair got changed into their outfits. Haruhi was a little surprised at her sensei's bust size, more specifically, at how she managed to hide them in school.

"Well, a B-cup's pretty small, isn't it?" Mizuki had noticed the girl's look. Haruhi apologized for her stare.

"Don't be silly. We're all women," said the lady as she checked out Haruhi. The twins were right: this suit really made her look good...

Outside, the boys were discussing among themselves how the ladies would look like. But, their chatter didn't prepare them for what they're about to see...

"Sorry to keep you guys waiting!" The twins and Tamaki nearly had their jaws on the floor. While Haruhi looked exactly as how they've imagined her to be, Mizuki turned out to be a different story. With her fair skin, plain white two-piece suit, long, smooth legs and toned arms, the results of her love for sports and games, she looked marvellous.

"Sensei..." Hikaru couldn't get any other word to come out of his mouth.

"Mizuki-san, you look great," said Hani with a huge smile. Mori nodded silently.

"Thank you, Hani-kun." Looking at the stoned trio, she chuckled.

"Close your mouths already. I'm only 26, you know." Tamaki quickly recovered. From out of nowhere, he whipped out a rose hairclip.

"Sensei, I believe this little flower will make you even more beautiful, not that you really need it by the way."

"Thank you, Tamaki-kun." Mizauki then fitted the clip on her hair.

"So, what's our first event for the day?"

Afterthoughts

-Oh yes, this ending was a deliberate one. Fun and games are in the next chapter.

-Please RnR! 


	6. The Beach's No Walk In the Park

As it turned out, their first game was beach volleyball. After the division was complete, the twins chuckled to themselves. In their team, was Kyouya and Mori.

"Tono, your team's gonna lose." Although they knew that Hani has a sporting background, Haruhi would be a major drag on the other team. Besides, they didn't think that their sensei was good with sports...

"With me around, I'll never let Haruhi taste the misery of defeat," proclaimed Tamaki. Somehow, that didn't give the girl much comfort.

"Oh yeah? Why don't we have a little bet? The team who loses will have to do a forfeit," challenged Mizuki.

"Deal!" Even Kyouya didn't see a problem with this arrangement. He had checked Mizuki's profile before; the sensei's sporting days were a long time ago, or so he thought. Hikaru grinned at his brother. This would be a piece of cake.

As it turned out, the match was anything but that. Somehow, between Mizuki and the boys, they managed to pick up Haruhi's slack. To make things worse, Mori wasn't putting in much effort, because of Hani. Kyouya and the twins soon found themselves locked in a heated battle.

"I see that you're still very much in shape, Mizuki-sensei," shouted Kyouya across the net, as he gave the ball a hard smack.

"Thank you, Kyouya-kun." The lady deftly returned the ball over to the other side.

In the end, Kyouya's team did win, but by only one point. Also, the twins were so tired at the end of the match that they didn't mention the forfeit.

"Takashi, that was a good game!" Mori nodded stoically. Kyouya, on the other hand, remembered the condition. However, he was impressed by Mizuki (not to mention that she IS a sensei). Haruhi's forfeit was to cook the day's dinner. As for Tamaki, Kyouya didn't reveal it immediately; he promised the King that he won't forget it.

"What did I do to deserve this," thought Tamaki.

By now, the twins had caught their breaths. They took a closer look at their sensei. The little beads of sweat on her body seemed to sparkle in the sun; the sand on her thighs and arms...

"What are the two of you staring at," asked Mizuki. The duo quickly turned away, their face red with embarrassment.

"They must have been captivated by your beauty, Mizuki-sensei. Your..." Mizuki raised her hand.

"Thank you, Tamaki-kun. That's quite enough praise for one day. You're even beginning to make me blush. Now, if you'll excuse me..." The lady then laid a mat on the sand. Along with it was a bottle of sunscreen, which means...

"Which of you guys wishes to help me with my back," asked the sensei as she put on a pair of sunglasses. To up the ante, the lady casually took her top off, and laid flat, face-down, on the mat. The boys went red all the way to their ears. At the Host Club, they were the ones teasing the girls. This time, it was the other way round. The older lady burst out laughing.

"You guys are shy! Haruhi, could you help me then?" The girl went over to her sensei.

"Tono, why don't we head for a swim?" The twins felt that they needed to cool down, in more ways than one. The other boys agreed, and the six went off. Once the boys were in the water, Mizuki reached for her top. By then, Haruhi had already began the application.

"Sensei, I haven't finished yet."

"You can spread it later. I've something to discuss with you." After putting on the top, the older lady took off her sunglasses.

"Haruhi, do you think any of the boys may be in love with you?"

"Huh?" Haruhi stared blankly at her sensei. Obviously, the thought had never crossed her mind.

"Haruhi, you're a girl. They are teenage boys. See the connection?"

"Well, we are friends." Mizuki had heard that one before.

"I wouldn't be so sure. I think Hikaru may be interested in you, as well as Tamaki-kun."

"Tamaki-senpai? He's just weird, if you ask me. As for Hikaru... well, he's a close classmate." If the person involved was still so clueless, there was little else she could do.

"Haruhi, help me spread the lotion, and let's take a walk along the beach." As they strolled, the ladies took in the sun and breeze. The weather sure was good, thought Mizuki. Perhaps a little chat on another topic would do the trick...

"Haruhi, you're really lucky that Ouran's a co-ed school. Your sensei had to pretend to be a boy 24-7 back at Osaka."

"Sensei, why did you do that for?"

"I was a fan of this guy who's into high jump. So, before I knew it, I got myself transferred over from America, and the rest, is history."

"So, what happened to him?" Haruhi was a little curious.

"He's now my husband."

"Oh." They continued their little stroll.

"Sensei, how's your family like?"

"Let's see. My father's a vet, Mom was a dancer turned housemaker, and my half-brother's a doctor." Mizuki hoped to visit them back in the States when the term holidays begin.

"I see. I was an only child, and my mother died when I was young." Haruhi looked down at the sands.

"Well, you do have a bunch of great friends in Ouran, don't you?" Haruhi looked at the sensei, who had a smile on her. It is difficult to stay down around her, thought the girl.Just then, they saw three men in front of them. One gave a wolf whistle.

"Yo, check out the babes, guys!" The trio were soon right in front of the ladies. Mizuki quickly got the girl to hide behind her. If they got surrounded, things could get hairy really quickly.

"Relax. We're not going to eat you. How about a date with us?"

"No. 1: I'm married. No. 2: I don't date strangers."

"Then, you want to do this the hard way."

"Yes, as a matter of fact, I do!" The sensei threw a punch right in the man's eye. With them distracted, Mizuki grabbed Haruhi's hand.

"Run!" The little girl soon found herself trying hard to catch her breath; Mizuki's running speed was too much for her. The trio were now hot on their heels.

"If I could just get back to the boys..." Thankfully, she soon saw them, and just in time too. One of the pursuers had grabbed Haruhi's hand.

"Guys! I need some help here!" Mizuki's shouts were heard by the boys. The whole lot quickly saw what the problem was. Meanwhile, Mizuki tried to remember the dodging moves she learnt from her karate lessons so long ago, while Haruhi struggled against her captor.

"Let me go!" The man did let go, but it was after taking a "Usa-chan Kick" in the face.

"Why, you little..." But with the others coming in, the trio decided to beat it.

"Haruhi, are you alright," asked Tamaki anxiously. The girl nodded. Despite the rough handling, she was ok.

"That was a great kick, Hani-kun. Where did you learn that from?"

"Sensei, Hani-senpai came from a karate family. Before he was a host, he's the captain of the Karate Club," explained Kaoru.

"You have to give me a refresher course tonight." The 1-A boys and Tamaki stared in wonder as Hani agreed.

"Sensei, you used to do karate," asked Hikaru incredulously.

"Only for a short while; my favourites were track activities," said Mizuki with a sheepish grin.

"I think we should join you guys in the water; it's safer that way. Of course, if Haruhi..."

"Sensei, I do know how to swim. I just choose not to," said Haruhi indignantly.

"All right then. Last one in the water has to do a forfeit!" With that, the lady ran off towards the sea. The others followed, with laughter and shouting. Their fun was just beginning...

Afterthoughts

-Please RnR! 


	7. Chapter 7

The afternoon went by swiftly for the gang. The twins and Tamaki did battle with their water pistols. Hani, Mori and the ladies swam, while Kyouya sat under the pavillion, thinking about Tamaki's forfeit. After a while, he made up his mind. It shouldn't be too difficult for the King, he thought. He saw Tamaki heading his way; the half-French teen was completely drenched. In the distance, the twins were making faces at him.

"Tono, you'll have to do better than that," taunted the "Akuma-kei" duo. Tamaki mumbled something unmentionable under his breath. His classmate tossed him a towel.

"Here, dry yourself with this."

"Thanks." Kyouya decided that it was time to discuss business.

"Tamaki, I hope you remembered that we have a cosplay ball next week."

"Of course. The theme's 19th century Europe, right?" Kyouya nodded, while Tamaki took a seat. His hair, though dry, was like a bird's nest. The King poured for himself a glass of iced lemon-tea.

"Here's your forfeit from losing the bet: You're going to convince Mizuki-sensei to attend the ball, together with her husband." Tamaki coughed and spluttered for a moment. After cleaning himself with the towel, the blond teen stared at his best friend.

"Kyouya, are you insane?"

"Let me finish. She's going to the ball as a gentleman," said the Shadow King, while pointing towards Mizuki, who was now being harassed by water guns. "Besides, her husband's one of the models in that photo album. With their presence in the ball, I'm sure you know what's next."

"Hmmm..."

"Not up to the challenge?" Kyouya knew exactly how to egg his chairman on.

"No way! I'll get them to come," said Tamaki confidently. Kyouya then removed his glasses and got up from his seat.

"Now, if you'll excuse me, it's my turn to get into the water." The Shadow King stepped out into the sun. The clouds' coming in, he mused; it might rain tonight...

Evening came, and it was time for the whole gang to head indoors. Haruhi had to prepare dinner, as the forfeit dictated. Hani retaught Mizuki some basic punches and kicks; the lady did pack a set of shirt and pants. The rest of them played board games to while the time away.

"Young masters, dinner's served," announced the butler. Kyouya reminded him to inform Hani and Mizuki. But, that wasn't necessary; the duo had finished their session. 

"Hani-kun, you've got to teach me more when we get back to school."

"But only if you have the time to learn," reminded the loli-shota host.

At the dining table, the servants, and Haruhi, set the table. The girl only prepared two dishes: miso soup and takoyaki. The twins, though impressed, couldn't resist a little fun at her expense.

"Haruhi, isn't takoyaki a snack?"

"Snack or side-dish, it's just food to me," said the girl non-chalantly.

"Well, I'm starving," commented Mizuki. Tamaki then noticed the crabs. He glared at Kyouya, who merely shrugged his shoulders. At the dining table, crabs brought back horrible memories for the blond. But, this time, it was going to be a little different...

"Hmmm... Why are you guys staring at me like that?" Mizuki became aware that she was the centre of attraction.

"She just demolished the whole plate of crabs." Tamaki couldn't believe his eyes.

"The last time someone ate like that...," began Hikaru.

"She had to be rushed to the toilet." Kaoru took a glance at Haruhi, who looked as if she was going to be sick again. Even Hani and Mori were surprised at the lady's appetite.

"This's pretty average to me. I eat a lot." Mizuki then took a sip of soup.

"Sensei, if you eat like this, it's no wonder that no one realised you're a girl during your high school days," commented Hikaru. There were some drops of rain on the windows; soon, it grew to a drizzle.

"It's raining," pointed out Hani as he looked out of the windows. Sitting across Haruhi, Mizuki thought that she saw the girl stiffened.

"Haruhi, are you alright?"

"Sensei, she's afraid of thunder," said Kaoru gently. The rain was getting heavier by the minute.

"I don't think it'll stop tonight. Perhaps, you'll want to share the room with me," suggested Mizuki. Haruhi agreed. Kyouya made the necessary arrangements...

After dinner, everyone decided to call it a day. They were all tired from the games and activities. As Kyouya led them to their rooms, the first rumblings of thunder came.

"Haruhi, you ok," asked Hikaru. The girl nodded. If she wasn't alone, her fear wouldn't get the better of her. Mizuki noticed the Host Club King's look of concern on his face...

In the ladies' room, there were two beds side by side. After they've washed up, the pair retired for the night. Mizuki struggled to stay awake. Despite her fatigue, she wanted to make sure that Haruhi had fallen asleep first. In her bed, Haruhi tried not to hide under the blanket. I can do this, she told herself. The rumblings got louder and louder.

There was a sudden flash. Almost instantly, a loud thunder clap could be heard. Haruhi dived beneath the sheets; Mizuki could see that she was beginning to tremble.

"Haruhi, why don't we put our beds together?" That was what they did. But, the girl was still afraid. Another clap of thunder came. Without thinking, Haruhi clung on tightly to her sensei. The grip tightened as the storm went on.

"Take it easy now. Take it easy," whispered Mizuki. She stroked the girl's head gently. It worked; Haruhi fell asleep. Gently laying the girl down, Mizuki covered her with her blanket. There was a gentle knock on the door. "Now, who could that be?" she thought. It was Tamaki.

"...Is Haruhi alright?" There was just the slightest trace of anxiety in his voice.

"She just fell asleep. Let's talk outside." Tamaki shook his head.

"It's late. Besides, someone needs to stay with her." The teen then turned to leave.

"Tamaki-kun, you do care a lot about Haruhi, don't you?" 

"I'm her otosan; it's only natural to care about your daughter, isn't it?" Before Mizuki could ask more, he was gone. As the lady went to bed pondering over Tamaki's words, she stole a glance at Haruhi.

"Okasan..." The sensei patted Haruhi's head lightly.

"Sweet dreams, Haru-chan."

Afterthoughts

-Please RnR! 


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